Oct 8, 2013

We received the approval from the Insurance Company for the repairs to our Caravan, Thanks CIL as i mentioned on the phone to them we are insured with them for the simple reason that most owners of Bushtrackers use CIL and the Insurance company are aware of the brand of van and the quality workmanship that goes in to the manufacture and repairs and are happy to accept the quotes from BT.

So with approval given we just had to wait a few days to get the van into BTi, they required the van overnight so that meant us booking accomadation not quite that simple as it was school holidays and majority of places require a minimum of two nights, we managed to get into a Motel at Noosaville, not quite around the corner but we were running out of options.

Whilst at Kenilworth we received a call from Kimbo and Nerida that they were on the move south from Mackay and would be calling in to catch up, Excellent ! we were not able to previously as they were there and we were here and certainly wasn't expecting to be back at Kenilworth again so soon. There had been a recent Rodeo on at the showgrounds and we were one of the 1st caravanners back in and the workers were still cleaning up, Clem the caretaker knows us well by now and was very surprised to see us back, after explaining what had happened we were told to camp anywhere we liked.

There was a distinct aroma of horse manure which gave it that earthy country smell but as each day went by it either lessened or we got used to it, We did the usual Eumundi Markets again on the Wednesday and on Thursday Kimbo & Ned turned up. The usual catch up's and extended happy hours occurred and on the Saturday they went to the markets to catch up with Ned's sister Claudia and Brother in Law Clive whom we also know well, we 1st went to Yandina markets but it was mainly fruit and veg so we also went back to Eumundi and caught up with everyone for lunch.

On the Sunday night i was taking down the awning and packing things away to be ready for an early start, a couple of the tie down pegs were hard to remove so i grabbed my fossicking pick and using the pointy end levered out the 1st peg, the 2nd peg i attempted to do the same except i stuck the pick into my ankle ! YEEOOOW that hurt but i didn't think i had done to much harm, it bled profusely and did so for that night. Up early and delivered the van to the BT Factory finally looking forward to getting the repairs and getting back on the road.

So with the van dropped off we visited a few shops until after lunch and went to our motel, Anchor Lodge in Weyba Road Noosaville, the place was very clean and offered all we needed for a night, a comfy bed and large TV. My foot was still oozing blood and i kept changing the band aids, such a small cut for so much blood. Dinner that night was at a Thai Restaurant in Noosaville and it was delicious, back to the motel for an early night.

Tuesday we filled in the morning and around 1pm we received the call to come get the Van, as usual we were delighted with the quality of work completed, we had a new fridge which for us was a gamble as we had been very hapy with the last but they were no longer available and this model is not what BTi usually instal, Also their were quite a few un happy owners of the Vitrifrigo with the earlier model but we had bitten the bullet and decided to give the new and improved version a go because it meant an easier instal. To say we are delighted is an understatement, the fridge looks quality and the small problems with the older version has been changed to what appears a far better design, of course time will tell but so far with only a week gone by it is working perfectly.

Vitrifrigo 230lt stainless steel

Same with the new oven that was installed, same brand as previous but updated and everything works just that much better than before.. So very happy with the outcome, it may have inconvenienced us a lot and cost us a couple of thousand dollars in extra fuel costs doing the big loop back to the Sunshine Coast ... but very happy all the same.

New Swift Stove

Away we go again, heading down the Bruce Highway heading to Blackbutt where we were going to wait for Kim & Ned to catch up again my ankle began to ache, intensely ache, excruciatingly ache, it got worse to the point i was unable to use my left foot to push the clutch in without in agony, I knew it wasn't good and headed straight to the Kilcoy Hospital. By the time we pulled up out the front i couldn't walk and literally had to drag and hop myself into the Dr's surgery, there they took one look and said that i was off to hospital but 1st i had to go to a 2nd surgery for an x-ray, one of the kind staff drove us there as we still had the Van on the Ute and i wasn't able to drive and Vickie didn't feel confident. After seeing a 2nd Dr and having an X-Ray we then had to wait an hour before we could be taken up to the Hospital where i was immediately given Morphine and a cannula went in my arm and they started pumping IV anti Biotics into me..

I was thinking i would be in overnight but each day the Dr would visit and wasn't happy with the progress, he started talking about having to go to Redcliffe Hospital to have an operation to have the would cleaned out and also 12 weeks laid up in Hospital with a permanent IV if the infection got into the bone. Luckily for me after 3 days of drugs they let me out on the proviso i took a course of anti biotics and if the pain or swelling should come back get to a DR ASAP..

Re-Enactment - ouch!

I felt for Vickie as she was sleeping in the van in a side street with everything on an angle and the weather was hot, everyone in the Kilcoy Hospital was so nice and helpful offering to move the Van but we were not comfortable with people un-hitching not knowing what they were doing so Vick stayed where she was on the street ......

Our 1st night out of Hospital we only traveled a couple of kilometers to the showgrounds, the next day feeling ok we moved onto Blackbutt where again we stayed ion the Showgrounds, we were surprised at the price as it was $8 un-powered or $20 with power, a fair bit of difference for some electricity but as Vickie wanted to catch up with the clothes washing it was $20 for us.

The 3rd night was another short drive to Cooyar where we stayed at the free camp Swinging Bridge, a great spot and Cooyar congratulations and Thank you from us for allowing travelers to stay.

Edith Tebb's grave, sad story of a 4 year old drowing

Swinging Bridge Cooyar

Another place we have visited and stayed at twice before is Tooloom Falls near Urbanville, a great free camp with a lovely waterfall, not having phone signal and knowing Kimbo and Ned would be on the road looking for us we decided to only stay one night and move on to our pre arranged meeting spot.

Tooloom Falls

4th Night, Texas - again, it was only a few weeks ago that we were here .. but this time Kimbo and Ned also turned up so the 'team' was back together again.

Presently we are camped along the Gwyder River - AGAIN at Bingara NSW, this is getting out of control just how many times we have been to Bingara since my Mother and Step Father lived here, and their ashes scattered on top of Batterham Lookout ....

We will be staying here 3 nights before making our way down to Victoria to visit friends Mal & Lynne and then across to Adelaide to stay with our daughter Erin and hubby Scott .